Closed automobile body



May 29, 192s. 1,671,433

l J. w. MCAIDAM` CLOSED AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed March 25, 1927 WITNESS j nY ya.) BY k AND May 29, 1928. 1,671,433

J. W. MCADAM CLOSED AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed March 25. 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet2 WITNESS y. 'Panarea May 2e, 1192s.

UNITED STA Tesl PATENT o1-Fica JOSIAH W. MCADAMK F VANCOUVER, BRITISHCOLUMBIA; CANADA.

' CLOSED -AUElJOMOBILE IBO-DY.`

Application filed March 25., 1927. Serial No. 178,223gHEISSU of cornerrposts and the parts'associated therewith to be foundin the averageautomobile and-which ordinarily becomes a menace in congested traffic,or while driving at V night and 1n rainy weather.

. -Thepresent invention alsoincludes the pro'- vision of adownwardly-and forwardly inclined wind 'shield which is much desired forthereason. that such shields do not refiect the glare of headlightsof'cars approaching from the rear as well as from the sides, thusremoi'ing another menace to driving, and by the provision of such 'awind shield, the corner pOStsQfthe body, as well as the front' wall ofthe window4 opening in the front doors are necessarily formed in asimilarly inclined position, andl said frontv wall may be located closerto the front'edge of the door than usual and suitably rounded so as tooffer, in combination with the corner post, the least possibleobstruction tothe line of visionof the driver of the car.

By the provision Yof the extremely narrow combination at the frontcorners of the body and the same being arranged at an incline, it.becomes necessary to utilize a peculiarly shaped window to open andclosethe corresponding shape of the window opening in the fronti doors5 andthe invention further contemplates a novel formof plate glass windowvadapted "to be raised and lowered along a path of movementsubstantially parallel to the aforesaid inclination' of the parts andalso means to guide the same and to prevent rattling thereof7 the meansfor actuating the window being `hidden from view in the structure of thefront doors,v and readily operable from the front seat of theautomobile. y A full'and complete understanding of the invention may beobtained from a consideration of the following' detailed description,taken in connection withthe 'accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification; it being understood that while the drawings show apractical form of the invention. the latter is not to be confined tostrict conformity with the-showing thereof,

but maybe changed or modified, so long as' such changes or modificationsno material departure from the salient features of the invention, as'specifically pointed out in 4 v the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters -designatecorresponding parts throughout the several ures:

Figui-e1 is an elevation of t e front-part of a closed automobilebodyshowing the im-A provements' applied thereto, the front door beingshown in section` to clearly show the Y* front door window in itslowered position.

Figure 2 is a similai-` view showing the window in its raised position.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of one of the front doors partly brokenaway and showing its relation tojthe top and floor of the car. A

Figure Il is a detail elevation' of the improved window detached.

Figure 5 is a detailserctional view,- drawn on an enlarged scalefffandillustratin the means for guiding they-'window pane 1n its up and'downmovements. ,3

Figure 6'l is an enlarged detail sectional` view, taken on the line 6-6of Figure 1 Figure 7 is a full size horizontal sectional view throughthe improved corner post and showing the minimum obstruction oifered 4tothe vision of thegdriver.

Figure 8 1s slinilar viewl' showing a different form of wind shield 1nconnectlon withV the corner post;

eov

Figure 9 is a detail vertical' section taken transversely through thelower portion of the door. y

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portion of an automobilebody of the n f' closed type, in which there is mounted the front door1, which may beof any ofthe well-knownv constructions of either theall-1 metal or combination form. TheA door isA vcarried by a surroundingframe 2, said frame being indicated in solidsectionlining in Figuresland 2,' toV avoid confusion due to the small scale-onwhich they aredrawn, though the preferable formt. of the framing is as shown in Figure7 of the dra-wings, wherein suitable sheet metalfis stamped orotherwiseformed into sha e to provide the necessary strength and. l1ghtAness.

Y The'upper port-ion of the front edge of the door is inclinedrearwardly as indicated at 2a-to accord with the rearwardly inclined'vfront corner post 3 of the automobile body and lsaid door is hinged tothe body by lower, intermediate and u per hinges 4 in the porting thedoor when open. The arm 4a.

may be set into a suitable indentation formed in the side of the visor,so that all the axes of the hinges may be in the proper alinement witheach other, the door, however, may be hinged at its rear edge ifdesired.

The upper portion of the door, opposite lthe inclined portion vthereofis provided -w1th the usual window opening 6, the front wall 6 of whichis locatedcloser to the adjacent edge of the door than usual, and isinclined to correspond with .the inclination thereof so that, by theprovision of this narrow 'portion, in conjunction withthe aforesaidnarrow corner post, the obstruction tothe vision ofthe driver, and knownas the blind spot is reduced to a minimum.

A window ,7, consisting preferably of a single sheet of heavy plateglass is located in the usual chamber formed between the inner and outerwalls of the door, and is adapted to be moved upwardly' into closingrelation to the window opening and downwardly to open the` same. Thisplate of glass is provided with parallel, horizontal upper and loweredges and with inclined front and rear. edges 8 and 9 respectively, asclearlyshown in Figure 4 ofl the drawings. vThe inclination of the frontand Arear edges corresponds substantially with the inclination of thesaid corner posts thoucvh slightly more nearly vertical for it will e.seen, by reference t0\Figures 1 and 2, that owing to the abovesubstantial narrowing of the fblin'd spot, and the slant o f the windowopening being so close to the edge of the door, there is insuiicientroom, when the window is lowered, as .in -Figure 1, to permit saidwindow to be moved up and down in. a path exactly parallel with thesloie of the corner posts as the lower front en of the window woulstrike the vertical front edge of the door frame at the lower portionthereof. For this reason, the window is caused to slide up and down, by

means to be described, in a path about half way between the verticalandthe angle of -the corner posts in order to permit the completeclosing of 'the window opening when the window iselevated.

The front edge 8 of, the glass. late is bev-` lelled back at its. upperend, as s own at i0,

to contact, when full elevated, with a padded stop 11 locate in theupper front corner of the door casing and in like manner the lower frontcorner of said plate is also bevelled at ,12 to contact, when fullylowered, with a similar padded stop 13 secured to the lower vert-icalportion of the 16 arranged transversely of the door chamber and havingsuitable padding to elimi` nate all noise and to support the weight ofthe Window when fully loweredand when the window is fully or partiallyraised, all movement or noise is guarded against by the usual feltpadding 17 arranged around the margins of the window opening in the.usual manner.

In order to positively guide the movements of the window pane in thepath of movement described, tracks 18 are employed within the chamber inthe door, said tracks consisting of suitable metal strips havingattaching brackets 19 for the reception of fastening screws whichpreferably secure tho tracks to the inner faces of the front and rearwalls of the door. At spaced intervals,

the tracks are provided with transverselyv spaced ears 20 between whichthere 'are mounted rollers-2l on pins 22, there being openings 23 formedin the tracks to allow the roller to project slightly through the sameto contact with/thc edges of the window.

It has been found that the above-mentioned marginal padding 17 aroundthe window opening constitutes suiicient means to prevent any lateralmovement of the window pane when the latter is elevated, but when thesame is lowered into the space below the window opening, such movementis prevented by side flanges 24 formed onV the lower portions of thetracks,

Any suitable and convenient means may be employed for raising andlowering the window, shown in the drawings, though no specific. claim ismade to the same herein.

The lower edge of the window is 'providedl ut I prefer to employ themeanswith a flanged metal strip 25 securedA to the 1 same in any desiredmanner and extending across'the major portion of the bottom edge,

so as to exert a uniformflift to and prevent breakage of the otherwiseunsupported plate of glass. Y

The strip 25 is rovided at its center with a pair of spaced, ependingears-26 to which is attached the upper end of a toggle lever element 27,the lower end` of which is simi-` larly connected Abetween ears 28upstanding from a supporting bracket 2 9 secured to the bottom framemember of the door,Y

and's'aidflinkextends upwardly and is ter--l minally connected to acrank arm 31 located between the inner lface ofthe innerwall of the doorand the window. .The crank arm lo 31 is fixed to a rotatable shaft 32'mounted horizontally in the innerwall of the door and having a .suitableactuating handle 33 at the4 inner face vof the door and'within easyreach of the occupants of the front Seat 15 ofthe automobile. Thehandle'33'l is preferably provided with a suitable pawl connection withatoothed, arcuate rack 34 secured to theinner faceof the door-and adaptedto positively'lock the window in itsupper or.

lowermost position or in, various intermedlate positions.

'By the arrangement of the toggle levers, the window may be caused to belfully opened 4or closed byV substantially a halfturn of, the' crank,the power being increased sufliciently to allow of such. action to beeasily andy quickly accomplished, and the window is caused to follow thesaid inclined' pathof movement to ytightly close and seal the windowwith the maximum amount of window vopening in the upper portion of thedoor` and the minimum amount of obstruction to the vision ofthe driverby the so-called blind spot which has, by the above, ar. rangement ofparts, vbeen greatly reduced in area. v

One Aor more .of the crossed toggle levers are preferably provided withswivelled eyes 35 located attheir points of crossing and saidl eyesareadapted to slide o na rod36 arranged at the same angle as the path ofmovement of the window and secured' at its upperand lower ends totheinneriface o f the outer wall of the door, as indicated at 37.

This rod, with which the toggles are thus .slidably connected,ei'ectually prevents rattling of the toggles and serves. to furtherIeliminate noises. J

The front corner posts 3 are provided with rearwardly-extending abutmentflanges 38 tlocated at their inner edges for the-door to 'lit againstand the width of said corner poSts, taken Atransversely of `theautomobile,

-- ;:jhas been greatly reduced so as to allow of Aalar er wind shieldarea and-reducetl1e ."blin spot in. this direction, asindicated th'edotted lines 'A4 representing 'the lines o vision of lthe driver, as inFigure'! of the This reduction transversely of in the transversethicknessof the upper porvtionof the door, said point of reduction he.

posts.

4 he automobile'necessitates alike redu'ztiony thev point'llispreferably located'l at the lower line of the window opening, and is inthe form of a ledge or sill toconveniently ltherein, and theinnerhevelled wallg40 is provided with ajcontinuonsyvertical slot inwhich is 4suitably l'held felt padding l41V for a slidable, wind shield42 to "move in at the angle ofl inclination of the front corner The`interiwall- 43A of the narrow inclined portion of the door-in advanceof the window 'openingis curved on as wide aradius as'possible to reducethe blind spot, as indicated-in Figure 7, it being, advisable to employsuch arcuate form for strength and attractiveness in appearance.

` -A slightlyfmodiied form of'front corner 'post is sho'wn ,in Figure'8. of the drawings wherein the inner, eveled wall 44 of the same is notslotted, asin Figure '7, and a forwardly-extending flange 45 isprovided, the same having a Afelt facin 46 secured thereto, and aslmilar felt faclng 46a is secured to the front face of the same post. A

hinged wind shield 47, secured in a felt seat 48, mounted in a groove 49of a wind shield frame 50,'is adapted t-o be swung upwardly anddownwardly on overhead hinges (not shown) `in a well-known manner and torest, when closed down, against the said felt strip 46aV forthelexclusion of air and moisture, the said frame 50 having anoverhangin'g flange 51 to surroundA the facing 46 to aid in saidexclusion. y

From the foregoing'it is ythought a full and complete understanding ofthe invention and tlie merits thereof may be obtained,

loo

and it will be seen that'by reason ofthe i aforesaidV transversereduction in the width of thedoor and the reduction to a minimum ofthat, portion of thedoor in advance of the windw opening, takenlongitudinallyv of theing the window to fully and completely close andIsealythe window opening, or to open or partially `open the same, byvmoving said window in an angular direction in such necessarily confinedspace within. the of the door. What is claimed is:

1. An inclosed automobile body having chamber vrearwardly inclined frontcorner posts and wind shield, Ifront doors having window openings, thefront edges of said 'openings corresponding to the inclination of thecorner posts, a unitary window pane mounted within each-door'and havinga front edge inclined Jrrom top to bottom thereof, and means for slidingthe window upwardly and rearwardly from the hood' to the top, frontdoors havmg the upper portions of their 'front edges correspondinglyinclined and having upper window openings whose front edges are closeAto and parallel with said inclination, a plate `glass window mountedwithin each door to be moved upwardly and downwardly to closed and openpositions respectively, said window being in the form of aiparallelogram having inclined front and rear edges, guiding meansengaging said edges to cause the window to move ina path substantiallyparallel `to the corner posts, and toggle levers for lactuating thewindow.

3. An inclosed automobile body having 'relatively narrow, inclined frontcorner posts, an inclined anti-glare windshield supported by the cornerposts, front doors having their upper front edges correspondinglyinclined and hinged along said edges, the upper hinges bein secured tothe visor, said doors having win ow openings in their upper portions,provided with correspondingly inclined front edges, tracks mountedwithin the door, in advance and in `rear of said openings and -arrangedsubstantially at the same angle as the front of the openings, a plateglass window mounted to slide up and down between the tracks, said platehaving parallel 'horizontal upper and lower vedges and parallelinclinded front and rear edges to correspond to the tracks, and meansfor raising and lowering the windows.

4. An inclosed automobile body having relatlvely narrow inclined `frontcorner posts, an inclined anti-'glare windshield supported bythe cornerposts, front doors having their upper front edges correspondinglyinclined and hinged along said edges,- the upper hinges bein secured tothe visor, said doo'rs havlng win ow openings in their upper por tionsprovided with correspondingly inclined front edges, tracks mountedwithin the door in advance and in rear of said openings and 'arrangedsubstantially at the same angle as the front of the openings, saidtracks having spaced openings formed therein, antifric v t1on rollersmounted in the openings, a plate glass window mounted to slide up anddown between the tracks, said window having inclined front and rearedges to contact with the rollers, and a series of toggle levers mountedbeneath the window and operable from the inner side of the door to raiseand lower the window in a line substantially parallel to! the inclinedfront corner posts.

5. An inclosed automobile 'body having relatively narrow, inclined frontcorner posts, an inclined antigglare windshield sup- Vported by thecorner posts, front -doorshaving their upper front edgesvcorrespondingly inclined and hinged along said edges, the

upper hinges being secured tothe visor, said doors having win owopenings in their upper portions provided with correspondingly inclinedfront edges, tracks mounted within the door in advance and in rear ofsaid openings and arranged substantially at the same angle as the frontof the openings, said tracks having spaced openings formed therein,anti-friction rollers mounted in the openings and, projecting slightlybeyond the inner faces of the tracks,` side flanges formed on the lowerportions of the tracks, a plate glass window shaped to slide up and downbetween the sets of rollers, said window being engaged by the sideiianges when lowered and by felt padding when raised to preventrattling, and means operable from the inner side of the door'to raiseand vlower the `window.

6. An inclosed n automobile body havingby the corner posts, front doorshaving their ,upper front edges correspondinglyjnclined and hinged alongsaid edges, the upper hinges being secured to the visor, said doorshaving window openings in their upper portions provided withcorrespondingly in clined front edges, tracks mounted within the door inadvance and in .rear of said openings and arranged substantially at thesame angle as the front of the openings, said tracks having spacedrollers 'mounted there` in and side flanges on their lower portions, aplate glass window having horizontal upper andl lower edgesand parallelinclined frontvand rear edges to contact with said rollers, the upperand lower terminals of the front edge and the upper terminal of the rearedge being bevelled, upper and lower stops mounted in the door tocontact vwith said bevelled terminals to arrest the window in uppermostand lowermost positions, and means for raising and lowering the windowin an inclined' direction and for holding the same in intermediatepositions.

'7. In an inclosed automobile lbody, front corner posts yincliningrearwardly. from hood to top, said posts being of minimum width asviewed from' thedrivers seat, front doorsihaving the u per portions oftheir and having window the window openings up being transversely Athinner than the lower portions of said 4doorsand the outer edges ofsaid inclined walls being rounded to reduce interference withf vision,windows mounted within' the doors and having front and, rear edgesinclined'similarly to the corner posts, means means for causi/ngthe sameto travel in a `direction substantially parallel to the inclined frontwalls of the openlngs.

8. In an enclosed Aautomobile body, front corner postslincliningrearwardly from hood to top, ldoorshavin the upper portions oftheir -frontedges an the front walls of their window openingscorrespondingly inclined,

window panes mountedvwithin the door-s and having horizontal top andbottom Aedges 4and inclined front and rear edges-correspondingsubstantially' with the corner posts, guides vis engaging the-front andrea-r edges'to` cause the panes to move in said inclined direction,transverse supports arranged in the (loonbeneath the panes to supportthe-same when lowered, a flanged strip carried by the lower edges of thepanes toy rest on said supports,

and manually operated toggle mechanism-located beneath the panes andconnected to thev fiangedA strips to elevate and lower the panes.

In testimonyhthat I claim the foregoing'as my own, Irhave hereto affixedmy signatn-re.

JS'IAHW.isimiDAM;

